Four coaches nominated for FQPL Coach of the Year award

Philip Panas25/10/2019 7:00 am12/10/2021

Football Queensland (FQ) have confirmed the four nominees for the 2019 Football Queensland Premier League (FQPL) Coach of the Year award.

The four men nominated for the award are Paul Arnison, Andrew Ogden, David Booth and Scott MacNicol.

The winner will be announced at the 2019 Football in Queensland Awards Night.

Paul Arnison led the Sunshine Coast Wanderers to the FQPL Premiership this season, steering them to promotion to the NPL Queensland in their second season as a club. The Wanderers had a hot start to the year winning the first five matches they played. They would go on to win 13 of their 18 regular season games. With one of the best attacks in the competition, Sunshine only lost once in their final nine games. Arnison’s side defeated Ipswich Knights in the semi-final, however would fall at the final hurdle against Rochedale in the Grand Final.

Andrew Ogden’s Ipswich Knights had mixed fortunes in the beginning of the 2019 FQPL season. Fortunately, they would find their form heading into the finals series, winning their final five matches. The Knights recorded an unlikely victory against Logan Lightning in the elimination final, producing some of their best football of the season. The run would end shortly after though, losing to Sunshine in the semis.

Capalaba FC were one of the best sides in the FQPL this season, finishing second on the table. David Booth’s side will therefore be playing in the NPL Queensland next season, securing promotion in their last game of the regular season. Capalaba defeated Logan Lightning in the must-win encounter. Booth’s success throughout the season saw him selected as Coach of the Month for May.

Scott MacNicol guided Rochedale Rovers to Grand Final glory in the 2019 FQPL, after finishing the regular season in fourth. The added pressure of the finals series saw the best come out of Rochedale, beating Mitchelton FC and Capalaba FC in consecutive finals. The Rovers would go on to beat premiers Sunshine in the Grand Final. MacNicol was named Coach of the Month in August, thanks to his side’s great finish to the season.

The 2019 Football in Queensland Awards Night takes place next Saturday, November 2.

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Football NSW 2025 Registrations Surge as Season Approaches

Noah Coopey19/03/2025 6:30 am18/03/2025

Image credit: Football NSW website

Football NSW community registrations have rocketed beyond the 200,000 marks, keeping pace to eclipse the record numbers set in 2024, as the code’s popularity continues to boom across the state.

Australia’s most populous state has been breaking records the last couple years with rising participation numbers. This year continues to solidify that trend.

Junior participation is leading the charge with more than 115,000 children aged 5-12 already signed up with local clubs as the winter football season draws near.

This sustained growth follows an exceptional 2024 season that witnessed a 9% increase in overall player registrations, with female participation skyrocketing by an impressive 17%.

Football NSW CEO John Tsatsimas was particularly proud with the increased junior and female representation.

“It’s pleasing to see the healthy number of juniors registering for the upcoming community football season,” Tsatsimas commented via official Football NSW Press release.

“It’s equally great to once again see female participation at the forefront of our growth.

“Our club volunteers and Associations have done a tremendous job in overseeing registrations within their local communities and we’re looking forward to seeing the new season get underway in April.”

Not just grassroots football in NSW, but nationwide, football participation has seen huge growth in youth and female participation.

A strong NSW football environment at the forefront of this surge is key to maintaining and cultivating participation.

Though with every increase in participating numbers, the community-based clubs bear the brunt of more demand.

Now more than ever, associations and clubs need sufficient support from the state Football federation if they want to continue these exciting results.

Though time will tell how much of an increase in players there will be, the report is promising.

How to maintain the players and bring more into the footballing community in the coming years will be the next big questions for all levels of football in the state and in the country.

Liverpool FC and Adidas Reignite Partnership

Kristy Nicolaou19/03/2025 6:15 am16/03/2025

Image Credit: Liverpool FC website

Liverpool FC and Adidas have announced a new multi-year partnership, agreeing to the return as the club’s official kit supplier from August 1, 2025.

This renewed collaboration with Adidas will see the iconic brand supply match kits, training gear, and culture wear for the club’s men’s, women’s, and academy teams, as well as LFC Foundation staff.

This alliance marks the revival of a storied relationship, with Adidas having previously provided kits during some of the Reds’ most successful eras.

Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan commented on the importance of this partnership and what it means for the club.

“Everyone at the club is incredibly excited to welcome adidas back into the LFC family. We have enjoyed fantastic success together in the past and created some of the most iconic LFC kits of all time,” he said via press release.

“Adidas and Liverpool share an ambition of success and we couldn’t be more excited to partner together again as we look forward to creating more incredible kits to help drive on-pitch performance. We’d like to thank Nike for their support over the last five years and wish them well for the future.”

The initial collaboration from 1985 to 1996 saw Liverpool secure multiple domestic league titles and FA Cup victories, while the subsequent partnership from 2006 to 2012 delivered further silverware, cementing adidas as a fan-favourite kit provider.

Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden expressed his excitement for the returning collaboration.

“We are extremely excited that adidas and Liverpool Football Club are teaming up once again. The club is one of the biggest and most iconic names in world football with a huge fan base,” he said via press release.

“The jerseys worn during previous partnerships are some of the greatest ever created.”

With the three stripes returning to Anfield, excitement is building ahead of the unveiling of Liverpool’s new home and away kits.

The designs will be officially revealed through Liverpool FC and adidas channels, with fans able to purchase the fresh range from the start of August.